Ordinary People
by Penguinator27
Summary: At a New Year's party, Relena runs into some trouble while assisting in a Preventer operation. Interesting situations ensue. Slightly 1xR.
1. Of Farces and Coming Undone

Ordinary People

Chapter One: Of Farces and Coming Undone

Tilting her head back, she looked up at the gigantic clock mounted high upon the wall of the ballroom. The many others gathered on the dance floor around her soon did the same, watching the second hand trek up the left side of the face. Relena clutched her glass of champagne a bit closer to her as everyone began counting the hand's last ten jerky movements, and smiled faintly when everyone cheered as it reached the top. She politely accepted hugs from those around her, and used them to move through the crowd until she reached its edge.

Still clutching her half- full glass of champagne, she walked to the bar area at the left side of the hall—clicking in her spiked heels all the way. Away from the bar itself and the stools that surrounded it, there were a few small tables and short chairs for those who wanted to socialize a little more personally than the larger tables around the dance floor would allow. At one of the tables was Quatre Winner, surrounded by a small gaggle of chatting, laughing women. To anyone else at this party, the young businessman would appear to be enjoying his new year's celebration as a playboy. Relena, however, knew every member of his harem to be one of his many sisters. _That's a clever cover_, she thought as they exchanged nearly imperceptible nods. Relena presumed one of them to be slightly drunk, as she was still wearing her midnight party hat with the numbers '202' in glittering gold print. She didn't head toward him, though. She made her way to the bar, where a dark- haired man sat alone on a stool.

She didn't sit on the stool next to him, as it would have been something of a feat in the shoes she was wearing. Even if she could have managed to step up on to the stool's rungs, she doubted the tight fit of her dress would have allowed her to maneuver onto the seat. Instead, she stood in the space between two barstools, so she was very near him. The proximity this arrangement allowed was more convenient for her purposes than a seat at the adjacent stool would have allowed, anyway. Placing her glass on the bar, she turned toward him.

"Hello, Heero."

"Happy new year." He didn't turn to look at her, and instead kept his eyes trained on his drink.

"I have a problem," she whispered. This got his attention. He turned toward her, but looked unconcerned. Whispering even softer, she leaned in closer. "I think it's coming loose." Heero stared. "Well, I can't see it, and I can't very well check for myself!"

Heero turned his head back toward his drink and relaxed his shoulders a bit more. Turning his body to face Relena, he said, "Talk to me."

"What?"

"We need a conversation. Talk to me normally."

Signaling to the bartender for his attention, she raised her voice: "Bartender, I'll have exactly what he's having, but with a straw, please." She turned back to Heero, who had his left arm resting casually on the bar, and his right resting on his right thigh. He was looking at her expectantly. She searched quickly for something to say. She looked him up and down, and knew exactly what to do.

"I must say, Heero, you've certainly cleaned up nicely for the evening." She laid her hand on the collar of his shirt. It was maroon, and closed at the neck with a plain black tie. Still, even with his jacket unbuttoned he managed to look as polished as any of the other young men in attendance. Their conversation may have been a ruse, but she hadn't lied when she complimented him.

"Thank you, Miss Relena."

"I almost wouldn't know you in this color. Did you pick it yourself?"

"I did."

Her hand was still on his collar. "Well, I love it."

"I could say the same for your dress, Miss Relena." He looked her up and down, looking interested. As his gaze returned to her face, his eyes darted very quickly to something behind her, but quickly returned to address her. "I don't think I've ever seen you in red, either." He moved his hand to the middle of her back. Relena could hear voices behind her; there must have been another man and woman a few stools away, by the sound of it. "Of course, I don't have to ask whether you choose it." He made a small smile.

Relena laughed politely. She knew Heero well enough to realize he was just playing along, and that his words and actions were all part of the show they were putting on now. It was true that they weren't in front of many people, but there was always the chance that they would be watched; Relena's behavior at parties—especially her behavior around the male guests—was always carefully monitored by the elders and gossips in her social circle, superficial though it may be. Certainly they would talk about the attention she was paying to Heero tonight, but there wasn't much they could say against a respectable, high- ranking Preventer officer.

The bartender set a glass identical to Heero's in front of her. It had a bit of ice in the top and was a sort of light brown color. There was a pink straw sticking out of it. "Thank you," she said dryly to the bartender. He left to assist the people behind Relena.

"What's this you're drinking, Heero?"

"Long Island Iced Tea." He watched her pick the glass up and take a sip.

"Urgh! Don't smile like that, Heero, this is disgusting!" She added in a whisper, "What is this, really?"

The amused grin didn't disappear. But he whispered back, "Tonic water with a splash of coke." He thought for a moment. "I actually don't mind the taste, Miss Relena."

"I'm sorry I can't share the sentiment."

"I don't drink on the job, Relena," he said under his breath, his tone of voice and relaxed expression mismatched completely. "You shouldn't be tonight either."

"I'm haven't!" Relena whispered back indignantly. She felt the hand Heero still had on the middle of her back pressing against her.

"Don't worry, I'm just seeing if it's still in place. Stay still. Keep going."

"It certainly has been a while, Heero. What brings you to this party of all places this evening?"

"I'm a guest of Commander Une's tonight. She didn't need an escort to the party, but offered me the extra invitation anyway. I'm glad I took it; who knows when we would have run into each other again?"

"Indeed. The terraforming plans are taking up most of my attentions these days. What's been keeping you busy lately?"

He looked at her reproachfully. "Miss Relena, you know I can't discuss the finer points of my work with civilians."

"Well, I'm not exactly civilian, am I?" she replied playfully.

His hand moved a little lower down her back. "I suppose not, Vice Foreign Minister."

Relena did her best to remain steady as Heero moved his hand around slowly on her lower back. She knew what he was feeling for, and thought he should have already been able to tell whether the damned thing had come loose or not. Was she being had?

She picked up the glass, and—just before putting the straw to her lips—muttered: "Well?"

"Miss Relena," Heero began genially, removing his hand from her back, "would you care to dance with me?"

"Certainly, Heero." She thought she caught his drift; her suspicions about the wire becoming displaced were correct, and it would have to be replaced as soon as possible.

He stepped off the stool and fastened the top button of his jacket. He looked at Relena, still standing in between the stools, and held out his arm for her. "Shall we?"

"Thank you," she said, looping her arm through his. As they began to walk out of the lounge area, she thought to herself that Heero was extremely good at playing the gentleman. It was almost jarring to be around him while he acted like this, as she was so accustomed to his usual quiet, stony manner. Perhaps it was because he was so unlike the polished gentleman he was pretending to be tonight in reality that enabled him to act as if he were one so superbly; with him it was obvious as to what gaps needed to be filled.

"Relena, the microphone has fallen off," he said, turning his face to hers as they walked.

"Are the plans ruined then?"

"No. I have a replacement in my jacket pocket. We'll need to find a place where I can put it on you."

"But that's—"

"Just a quick dance, to look natural, then we'll go outside for a walk. There'll be somewhere convenient out there, I'm sure."

They had reached the edge of the dance floor now. The string quartet had started up again, and the floor was crowded with waltzers young and old. Heero wasted no time; he released her arm, exchanging it for her hand, and immediately took the first opening he saw. He moved so effortlessly once they began to step to the music, Relena was once again surprised at his unforeseen talent.

She had only danced with him once before, and they had been fifteen. She had been mildly surprised that he had known how to waltz then too, but her mind was on so many other things that night that she hadn't really put to much thought into the ease with witch they had moved around the floor.

Thinking back to that night, Relena reflected on how he'd grown. She'd always thought him handsome, but age had made him striking. He wore his hair the same, and his face had only thinned out from his stretch in height; even with her heels, Heero still looked down at Relena as they danced. He'd remained muscular, as his job probably demanded it of him, and that only added to the new sort of darkness about him he had acquired in the seven years since their first dance.

"You know, I thought it was I who was going to have to ask you for a dance."

"It's necessary now."

"I would've convinced you."

His eyes met hers with an expression that could have been genuine amusement.

"I'm impressed with your farce, Agent Yuy."

"Farce?"

"Yes. You fit in with all the other men here tonight perfectly. I couldn't have imagined it if I weren't seeing it for myself."

"It's part of my job tonight."

"Yes—well—you do it well."

"Thank you."

Relena was used to conversing with her partners while dancing, so she pressed on.

"I confess I'm nervous about later. I don't know if I—"

Heero looked at her with an expression that silenced her, almost as well as if he had interrupted her with words. "You know, someone else could have been planted at the party to do what you're going to do. You were chosen deliberately, not because there were no other options." He paused to take quick glances at their sides. "You're trusted for this. You're depended on. Do you understand?"

"I thought I was just convenient."

"You are." Relena narrowed her eyes.

"I suppose I'll do my part well enough, then."

"You'll do it well." Relena looked up at him, surprised at the encouragement that was coming from his real side, not the playacting gentleman. Before she could respond, the music stopped, and everyone on the floor turned to clap for the quartet. Heero released Relena and they followed suit.

Relena looked around to see whether she was on very familiar terms with anyone in the vicinity. Quatre and one of his sober sisters stood together a few feet to their left, but it was better not to make too much contact with tonight's support man. She was told she needed to be seen doing normal things throughout the evening, and the couple to her direct right would provide just such an opportunity.

She touched the shoulder of the woman next to her. "Clarisse?" The woman turned and smiled widely in immediate recognition. She was the Foreign Minister's oldest daughter—the same age as Relena—and was standing hand- in- hand with her fiancé.

"Miss Relena? I was wondering if you would be coming tonight! You look amazing!"

"Thank you, Clarisse. You do as well. We'll have to talk about those shoes—"

"And who's your friend?" Her eyes had found Heero and widened.

"Oh, this is Agent Heero Yuy. Heero, this is Clarisse, the Foreign Minister's daughter."

Heero placed his hand on the small of Relena's back as he reached across to take Clarisse's hand as he greeted her.

"Would you care to take a walk outside, Miss Relena? Dancing has made the room seem stuffy."

"I couldn't agree more." He took her arm once again and immediately led the way to the wide, open doors on the right side of the hall, and she struggled to exchange proper goodbyes with Clarisse over her shoulder.

It was only slightly chilly outside, but there was a breeze. She turned to look at Heero for what they would do next. He was looking around the small courtyard and garden, scanning it for other party guests. There were only a few, and they seemed too absorbed in their own affairs to take much notice of Heero and Relena's arrival. They looked at each other at the same time. The slight breeze was lifting Heero's hair with every gentle gust, while Relena's loosely curled hair stirred about her shoulders and face ceaselessly.

"Shall we walk in the rose garden?"

"That sounds lovely."

The rose bushes were high, and eventually gave way to a sort of bush maze. The walls were taller than Heero, and were no longer just rose bushes. Heero led them for a few minutes through the maze, during which time neither of them spoke. Both were listening for sounds of others who may be in the maze with them. Relena shivered, her bare shoulders starting to feel the increasing cold.

"It's colder out here than it was in the courtyard."

"The stones of the courtyard are heated from beneath." Relena was not surprised by his informative reply; he had probably studied the whole place's floorplan in preparation for the night. "I just need to find a dead end for us."

"Try that way," Relena said, pointing left.

"Why that way?"

"Well, I've never had much luck when following my gut in mazes, and my gut says to go left." He gave her a look. "Don't worry, we'll find one that way."

Heero steered them left with an exasperated sigh, and—sure enough—after a few minutes of letting Relena lead, they reached their dead end.

"See, I told you I'd find the dead end, Heero!"

"I don't know if I would be so proud." He released her arm and unbuttoned his jacket. "Now, I have a replacement for the microphone and some more adhesive. You were right, it did come loose."

"Well—"

"Now turn around and unzip your dress."

"Unzip my—? No, Heero! It's indecent; I'm not unzipping my dress in front of you!"

"You can't very well do it yourself, remember?" Heero was taking a bit of enjoyment in her discomfort. The places he found humor in life were outrageous. "Even if I let you put the microphone on the wire yourself, there's a good chance you'll fasten it incorrectly, and that would ruin everything. I'm not willing to take that risk. Now turn around and unzip your dress."

"I can't."

Heero ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily.

"No—I mean, I can't unzip it myself. You'll have to do it for me."

Heero nodded, and moved his index finger in a circle, signaling her to turn around.

"There're little hooks every few inches. You've got to undo them before you do the zipper."

"Understood."

She could feel Heero's fingers fumbling around at the small of her back. His progression upwards was rather slow.

"How's it coming?"

"They're very small." He continued his work for what seemed like minutes to Relena. She stood staring at the bush in front of her with her arms crossed over her stomach.

"Can you move your hair?"

She gathered it over her right shoulder so that he could unclasp the hooks at the top of her dress. Suddenly, she felt her dress loosening; he had finally reached the zipper. She grabbed the top of her dress from the front to keep it from falling. The wire had been stuck to the middle and small of Relena's back, so it was necessary for Heero to bring the zipper all the way down to completely expose the wire.

"This is very awkward, Heero," Relena said quietly, shivering and clutching the front of her dress to her.

"Don't worry, I'm not looking anywhere I shouldn't be. I'll repair this as quickly as I can." He was being honest when he told Relena that he was being respectful, but she didn't see the sweat appear on his brow as he touched her skin in his effort to unstick the wire's adhesive. The wire was nothing more than just that, as all the device consisted of was a microphone and an antenna to directly relay the sound to a Preventer affiliate just outside the property. The microphone that was supposed to be stuck to Relena's back was missing, though. Heero pulled a replacement from his inner jacket pocket and replaced it on the appropriate end of the wire with only a little difficulty, considering the poor lighting. He then re- applied adhesive to her back, and gently pressed the wire into place.

"Alright, I'm done. But I want to give it some time to dry up. We can't afford to have it move again."

"Alright."

Heero got to his feet from the kneeling position he had taken behind Relena. "You can turn around for now. She did so quickly, facing Heero so that her back couldn't be seen at all. She still clutched at her dress, and shivered a bit more.

Heero took note of her shivering, and began to remove his jacket.

"What are you doing?"

"You're cold, aren't you?"

"I'm fine."

"You're shivering. Take it."

"We're not at the party anymore, Heero. You don't need to act—"

"I'm not, Relena." Heero was only mildly offended that she thought him that coarse. "You're cold, so you can have my jacket while we wait."

Relena looked at the ground. "Thank you." Heero took this as her permission and draped the jacket over her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Heero."

He looked at her for only a second before crossing his arms and looking at the ground. He was likely trying to listen for any intruders. Relena took the opportunity to survey his changed appearance. The moonlight played a wonderful trick on his face: it was bright, but his bangs caused his eyes to fall into complete shadow, making him look rather inhuman. Few things about Heero Yuy could scare Relana, though. Looking at his shirt again, she noticed he was wearing black suspenders. Confused, she looked at his waist, but found a belt there where she thought there would be none.

"Heero?" He grunted some sort of acknowledgement back to her. "Why are you wearing suspenders _and_ a belt? Does having one or the other just not do the trick?"

Heero moved his face out of its downward tilt, causing moonlight to fall on his eyes, which had widened a bit. He was clearly taken aback at the query.

"I always wear a belt. But—" he looked around uncomfortably—"I just like the way suspenders look."

Relena only laughed a little. Upon examining them again, she found that they did, in fact, flatter his appearance. They were snug over his shoulders, as well as over his firm chest. Yes, there was something attractive in suspenders, now that she had an example before her.

Heero looked like he was about to add something more in his defense, but he stopped just before he spoke. His face set in urgent concern, and his eyes locked with Relena's. She didn't need him to say anything, though. She could also hear the laughing woman, the man's soft voice, and the footsteps drawing nearer and nearer. Before she could move, Heero had already silently sprung on her; he flung the coat from her shoulders to the ground, and took a knee to get a hold of the zipper.

He had to get Relena done up before their guests arrived. If they were discovered, it would look like something it was definitely not, and Relena's reputation would be compromised. If they stayed to inspect further, they would see the wire, and the whole night's operation would be spoiled. He had to get Relena done up—but the hooks were just so damn small….

_A/N: This was really just a spur of the moment, just for fun kind of thing. I really enjoyed writing it, though, and I'll post the next chapter soon. Tell me, are you enthralled? Or no?_

_--The Penguinator 1/11/07 4:18 AM_


	2. The Act

Ordinary People

Chapter Two: The Act

Heero clasped the zipper in between is index finger and thumb, and began to pull it up the length of Relena's exposed back. He wasn't fast enough, though; just as the zipper was almost halfway up, the intruders came upon them. He first heard their footsteps stop abruptly as they approached, and then heard a small gasp from a woman.

Heero's hand itched for a gun, but he had been required to come to the party unarmed, to avoid complications with the host's tight security. He didn't take his hands off Relena's dress as his head snapped around to identify the interlopers; he froze in surprise at who he found watching them from a few feet away.

"Oh, excuse us," Quatre laughed. His eyes traveled from Heero's jacket, crumpled on the ground, to a half- undone Relena. "We had no idea!" His sister—the drunk one with the party hat—stood beside him, mouth gaping.

Heero turned back to finish zipping Relena up before he turned around to face Quatre.

"There was a problem with the wire," he explained quietly.

"Ah, yes," Quatre was enjoying Heero's apparent discomfort. He stood facing him, arms pinned to his side, shoulders tense, and the expression on his face stony. Despite this, it was unlike him to be unkind past joking, so he changed directions. "Were you able to repair it?"

"Yes. I had a replacement." As if this reminded him, he turned to retrieve his jacket from the ground.

Quatre turned to Relena, who had turned herself to face Quatre and his sister. She wasn't holding her dress up anymore, but her arms were still crossed, and she was once again shivering. "Miss Relena, I hope he didn't manhandle you in your vulnerable state?"

"No," Relena smiled a bit. "He was the perfect gentleman." She cast a sideways glance toward Heero, who hadn't put on his jacket, and was standing with his hands on his hips, glaring at Quatre. Relena resisted the urge to giggle a bit.

"I don't believe I've ever introduced you to my sister, Miss Relena," Quatre said, gesturing to the woman beside him. Her mouth was now closed, and she—like Relena— was holding her arms close to her body, shivering slightly.

"I believe I've only met one of them—Claudia, was it?"

"Yes, that's right. But this is Marie. Marie, Vice Foreign Minister Relena—"

"Oh, Quatre, never mind the formalities. Pleased to meet you, Marie." Relena stepped forward to take one of Marie's hands in both of hers in greeting.

"Likewise, Miss Relena. I'm sorry if I made a bad impression earlier in the ballroom. Quatre thought having one of us stumbling drunk might be useful."

_Another act_, Relena thought. There certainly had been a lot of forethought for tonight's plans. Was this operation more risky or high- profile than she had been led to believe?

"No, no; you were very convincing," she laughed, "No offense."

"None taken. It's actually a little fun."

"Quatre," Heero interrupted, "aren't you supposed to be taking care of Asquith right now?"

"Don't worry, I've set my sisters on him. He'll be primed and putty in my hands when they're done with him."

"See that he is." He pulled the left sleeve of his shirt back a little to check the watch beneath it. Relena saw that it was a plain- faced clock with a simple, silver band; she wondered whether it had been issued to him or if he had chosen it himself. "And you need to hurry in getting to him—we only have a few hours left, at the most. I want extra time to allow for possible errors."

"There will be no errors, Heero."

Suddenly remembering that she wasn't ready to leave just yet, Relena looked to Heero. "Heero, we can't go back until you've fastened all the hooks on my dress. It's noticeable."

Heero had turned to her when she'd spoken his name, so she could see the look of trepidation that now graced his face—clearly a result of the thought of having to do up all those little hooks. They were so small. He didn't hesitate in approaching her to complete his task. Before signaling for her to turn around again, he handed her his jacket to hold. He started at the lowest of the hooks, fumbling with them only slightly.

Quatre and Marie remained in the dead end with them, now exchanging poorly suppressed grins at Heero's slow progress.

"Alright, Heero, step aside," Marie ordered as she walked toward the two. Relena turned her head over her shoulder to see what was going on.

Heero had moved aside—as ordered—and Marie had taken over the job of doing up the clasps of Relena's dress. Certainly, it wasn't a difficult task, but Marie was making better time at finishing it with her smaller hands.

"There we are, Miss Relena."

"Thank you, Marie."

"Are we ready to go back in, Quatre?"

Quatre glanced at his watch. "Yes, if we get started back now, we should be right on time."

"Right, then," said Marie as she cocked the flimsy hat at more of a leftward angle than it had been before. She put her arm through the one her brother offered her, and they started off down the path out of the dead end. Heero and Relena watched them exchange a few words and a laugh, after which they both turned around to wave before disappearing around the corner.

Relena turned to look at Heero, who stood staring straight ahead. "We'll wait here for a few minutes so we won't overtake them on our way back," he said, still not looking at her. He held his arm straight out toward her, offering her his jacket once again. He kept his eyes locked on the spot were Quatre had been.

"Thank you." Relena put the jacket around her shoulders. Unlike the first time she had donned it, it had none of Heero's warmth left in it. She shuddered in the silence that settled between them.

After a minute or two of silence, Heero turned to face Relena, and the sudden movement drew her attention to him. He had his hands in his pockets.

"Relena?"

"Yes?"

"We need to leave here in about two minutes if we want to get back to the ballroom on schedule."

"Alright."

"I need to explain the rest of what's going to happen tonight."

"I just assumed you were going to make sure I engaged in whatever conversation you wanted to pick up on the wire. Are you going to tell me what to say? What about Quatre—what's his involvement in all this?"

He took two steps closer to her, hands still in his pockets. He was standing at her side so he spoke down into her ear when he said: "We need to keep this part quiet."

Relena turned her head to look up at him, but quickly turned away again, unnerved by his closeness. If anyone came upon them now, it would only appear that they were sharing an intimate—however innocent—moment, not discussing the finer details of a Preventer operation.

He spoke in a well articulated whisper now. "Quatre is going to engage Asquith in a conversation and draw out the desired information. You will be near enough to the conversation to pick it up with the wire."

"And his sisters?" Relena whispered back, not turning to him.

"Asquith wouldn't answer the questions Quatre's going to ask in his right mind—"

"Then they're getting him drunk?"

"Not quite; that could take too long, and it might not make a strong enough effect on him. They _are_ plying him with drinks, but there's something extra in there that will relax his inhibitions. If anyone notices him acting strangely, they will only assume he's had too much to drink."

"Will he remember? What if he puts things together tomorrow and remembers what he said, and that Quatre and his sisters were close—"

"That's where you come in. Even if someone were to become suspicious tonight and check Quatre for something incriminating, they would find nothing; you've got the wire, and the uninhibiting drug will have been used up and on its way through his body. No matter what happens, they won't be able to prove that Quatre's done anything underhanded. And by the time there's evidence to prove it, Asquith will be in no position to make threats against anyone."

"What're the Preventers trying to find out about him?"

"I won't explain it now. You'll know it when you hear it."

"Alright." Relena looked down to the ground. "Heero, if the wire hadn't come loose tonight, how would this have worked out? Have there been changes because of it?"

"The plan was always for me to get you near the conversation to pick it up. I was going to take you to the meeting spot Quatre and I designated for their conversation early, so I could explain things there. Now we'll get there just before them, so as not to look suspicious."

Relena and Heero stood in silence for a few seconds, while Relena digested the new information.

"Why me?"

Heero hesitated before responding. "You were already expected to attend this party. No one would suspect you of plotting against Asquith, as you've been acquainted and on good terms with him for several years. Your high- profile status would make you even less suspect. You're trustworthy, and easy for me to work with."

Relena turned to look up at him again, this time a look of astonishment on her face.

But he countered: "Commander Une has confidence in your ability to aid us and not become a nuisance."

Relena turned away. "I see then."

"Relena, I—"

"Shall we go now? I don't want to ruin things by wasting time with explanations. I'm sure I'll catch on well enough." She shrugged Heero's jacket off her shoulders and handed it back to him. She waited for him to put it on and button it up before she began walking out of the dead end. Once they turned the corner, she let Heero lead the way, as she didn't want to become anymore lost than she felt in the cold, towering hedges.

She knew they were drawing nearer to the ballroom as she felt the temperature gradually rise. She was starting to hear traces of music from within the hall. When the hedges began to turn to rose bushes again, she felt something brush against her elbow. Heero was holding out his arm for her to take, and was looking at her somewhat expectantly. She slipped her bare arm around his coated one and looked forward just as they re- entered the courtyard. There were still a few people outside, seated on benches in sets of two; but it was clear by the more upbeat music in the hall that the promise of lighthearted dancing had drawn most of them back inside.

_Back to the act_, Relena thought.

Upon entering the hall, Heero and Relena took a purposeful—but not rushed—course to the small lounge area where Relena had come to find Heero after midnight. While passing through the section of larger tables, she tried not to look around too much, but she couldn't help but hear the ringing laughter of what she knew to be Quatre's scheming sisters.

"I suppose they're taking care of their part, then?" Relena said, smiling for appearances only.

"They certainly are," replied Heero, once again in his uncharacteristically amiable voice.

Heero led them to a small table among others like it, and pulled the plush, red seat out for her. He took his place in the seat directly adjacent to hers, rather than across the table, as Relena would have expected of him.

No one was around yet, and the laughter of Quatre's sisters could still be heard among many others in the ballroom. They had some time to kill. And an awkward time it would be, both of them knew. Heero bent his head down toward his lap, closing his eyes for a moment; Relena sighed and turned away from her ingenuine partner, staring at a napkin sitting on a nearby table.

Heero was the first to snap into action. "Would you like something to drink, Relena?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, that's fine," she uttered distractedly, turning her attention to an empty glass on the table beyond their's.

Frozen by her indifference, Heero rose from his seat and stalked off toward the bar. As he walked, he began to worry, and as he began to worry, he commenced a reflection of what may be the cause. Relena was distracted, which wasn't good, especially this close to executing the main objective. But something else tugged at his mind for attention—yes, it was the tone she'd used when she'd just answered him. It wasn't totally distracted. There was something there for him; she was annoyed. Yes, that was it: annoyance.

"What'll you be having tonight, sir?"

"I'll have a vodka tonic—no vodka." The bartender raised his eyebrows, but Heero was unmoved. "And I need something colorful—pink if possible—"

"For the young lady just over there?" the bartender said, pointing a finger to Relena.

"Yes—"

"Virgin, too?"

"Please." Heero turned back to look at Relena. She was the only one sitting in the sea of small tables, which made her look uncharacteristically vulnerable. She looked unhappy, meaning she was loosing focus on her part of the operation, which merely constituted maintaining a happy appearance throughout the night. But more than that… she looked like she didn't _want_ to be there. Heero had never considered that as a possibility. He swung around to face the bartender. "And could you make her's taste—um—"

"Sweet?"

"Sure."

"You've got it."

As he headed back to Relena, a drink in either hand, he glanced in the direction of the ballroom. It was still bursting with guests, all of whom were still on their feet, even though a few looked close to being incapacitated by exhaustion or intoxication. Weaving through the crowd, though, was Asquith, a woman on one arm, another under the other, and about three in tow. They were coming to the tables, just as planned—if not a few minutes late. No matter; he needed to get Relena back into shape before they got too close. People would be watching something of a scene in no time, and he and Relena were bound to be a part of it.

"Relena," he said, to get her attention as he handed her glass to her.

She looked up and took the drink elegantly in one hand, her eyes widening at the long- necked glass. She raised her eyebrows at him as he took his seat next to her.

"What?" he said lightly, knowing full well what she was thinking.

"Pink?"

"Yes." He turned to her, fully aware that they were fairly close. "I thought you liked pink."

"Well, maybe when I was a girl. I don't need _everything_ to be pink."

"Not even your car?" Heero was smirking, differently this time from the other smirks he had made throughout the evening. For the first time, Relena had trouble deciding whether Heero was merely acting genuine, or genuinely being genuine.

Her mouth in the perfect shape of an, 'O,' as she gasped, she retorted, "No; for your information, Officer Yuy, the car I rode in tonight is _black_."

"Oh, well please pardon me, Miss Relena, for entertaining such obtuse ideas about the preferences of a respected, accomplished—" Relena was smiling now, "honorable politician such as yourself."

"Well, I suppose I can allow one blunder tonight, Officer Yuy. Just don't let it happen again," she laughed.

Laughter rang out from another woman behind Heero and Relena. It was the heralding of Asquith and company's entrance. Relena's smile vanished as she instinctively turned to look. Steeling himself for everything he knew would follow from this point on, Heero threw out his hand to gently catch her cheek in mid- turn. He steered her face back towards him. Her eyes were wide.

"Don't. Remember, we don't know what's going on behind us." Relena nodded. "And we don't care." Relena remained stock still, but Heero knew he had to go on; he had to make sure they kept to the act. Quatre's sisters were noisily taking seats around the table behind them. Asquith was muttering jolily in response to their charming, giggling conversation. "Relena, I apologize for putting you in this position—"

"Good evening, Mr. Asquith!" It was Quatre.

Everything else was progressing smoothly, and this had to as well. Heero placed his free hand on Relena's other cheek, and drew her face closer to his; his hand dropped from one side of her face so he could draw her ear closer to his lips. He moved her curled hair aside to expose her ear to his message.

"But, please, Relena," he whispered, "I need you to trust me, and to follow my lead."

_A/N: Alrighty, there's part two—finally finished! I hope it met whatever expectations you may have had. So sorry for the delay, but I go to school and work, so this is hard to keep up with. Don't worry, though; I have no intention of abandoning it. Shakespeare and Milton be damned! I've got a story to write! Well, I just said all that with the assumption that you want to read more. Do you?Penguinator27, 2/20/07, 12:55 am_


	3. One Foot on the Ground

_Author's Note: Truly, this has taken its time in coming, and I realize I have probably lost the interest of the readers who told me they were waiting for more. Believe it or not, I've thought about this story at least five times a week since I've last written anything for it—imagine how that feels! The creative lightning bolt just didn't hit me until about a week ago. So here I am, with the final installment of Ordinary People, ready to wow all. I'm not serious about that. Anyway, I present this to you, with the hope that you will like what you read and-- even if you don't-- that you will leave a review, which is easily one of my favorite things in the world. Many thanks._

_Also, it should be noted that I do not own Gundam Wing, nor do I profit from this exercise._

Ordinary People, Chapter 3: One Foot on the Ground

"Good evening, Mr. Asquith!" It was Quatre.

Everything was progressing smoothly, and this had to as well. Heero placed his free hand on Relena's other cheek, and drew her face closer to his; his hand dropped from one side of her face so he could draw her ear closer to his lips. He moved her curled hair aside to expose her ear to his message.

"But, please, Relena," he whispered, "I need you to trust me, and to follow my lead."

"Ah, young Mr. Winner! Please come s- schit with me and these lovely ladies."

"Excuse me?"

"Sit with us! They're all f- fine company!"

"What a generous invitation, Mr. Asquith." Relena caught sight of Quatre taking a place across the small table from Asquith as Heero loosened his hold on her face. She looked at his shoulder.

"This is, hm, Marie," Asquith pointed to the woman to his immediate left, "this is Denise, he pointed to the one on his right, "and this, uh--" he wiggled his finger at the woman closest to Quatre's right side, "uh, this is…."

"Lovely to meet you all, ladies," Quatre smiled around the table, a perfect honesty investing his features, as if he had truly never met any of women seated around Asquith.

One of Relena's hands was resting next to her glass on the table, the other resting properly in her lap. She stiffened as Heero placed his hand over her's on the table, and took the other one in his.

"So, Mr. Asquith, how is business treating you?"

Asquith chuckled benignly. "Not quite as good as it's treating you—but—heh, but it's treating me just fine these days."

"Oh, don't be modest, sir. I've heard you've run into some very profitable enterprises."

"You have, have you?"

Relena looked from his shoulder to his face, and saw that he was looking down at her—again, with an uncharacteristically soft expression. She was aware that his actions were a continuation of the act, and that the conversation taking place behind her was the most important thing at the moment; she should concentrate on cooperating. But all she could make sense of was the slightly calloused side of Heero's thumb on her forefinger. Her eyes begged questions and betrayed confusion.

Heero raised his eyebrows at her slightly, a reminder. _Trust me_.

"Or, at least I've heard they'll turn a profit in a few years, anyway."

"Yes. A few years _at least_. Some of them are already your age, though, and they're serving me just… fine."

_Them?_ Relena couldn't help the small gasp that escaped her.

Heero knew it would come to this. A politician, she usually schooled her emotions in professional and public situations, but he knew that this sort of position had put her off her guard. That was where he came in. Relena was part of the operation, and the operation had to go smoothly. They had to look like ordinary people at a party, not stiff eavesdroppers.

"Small tasks as of now, I'd imagine?"

"Yes," Asquith coughed. "Learning the finer points of running parts of my… my… mining business. Others are helping in recruiting—very important."

"Recruiting? Word has it there isn't much of that going on, sir."

"Hmm, well, I guess recruiting is a… polite term for it. I—I would call it—collecting."

"Collecting?"

"Acquisition!"

Relena emitted a sound that was a sort of mix between a gasp and a squeal, which was swept up in the din of laughter from Quatre's sisters behind her. She looked up at Heero, brow furrowed.

Heero knew he would have to risk talking again. He moved his mouth to her ear this time. "This is why we're here. You must not make a sound, Relena." Heero was at a loss as to why Relena was acting out. Usually she was very cooperative, and self- disciplined. But even now, as he held her hands to keep her focused on the present, and whispered to her reassuringly, he was baffled as to why she should be trembling.

Asquith joined in the laughter. "Yes, acquisition." He looked around the table. "Are you amused, Mr. Winner?"

"Intrigued." Relena and Heero heard Quatre shift in his seat. "And amazed that such a venture could go so far unnoticed."

Heero sensed a tension in Quatre's voice; he was really pushing Asquith now, having breached the subject of Asquith's business's secrecy. He would either talk now, ending the operation—or he would become suspicious, also ending the operation. His lips were still at Relena's ear, and he could feel her continued trembling in the few strands of hair that touched his nose. His end of the operation wasn't going as planned.

"Unnoticed? There's hardly a person who cares for war orphans these days. They're really just wondering the Earth and the Colonies waiting to be given a purpose—and they're certainly… they… they feel… cared for."

Relena's eyes darted toward the other table, and Heero touched her cheek out of impulse, more than anything; but he didn't remove it, even when her eyes slowly made their way to connect with his. They were wide, most likely in disgust or horror.

"That's a loyalty you can only gain in this situation. If I were to hire help—like you, you bright, rich, little boy—I could only be sure to maintain a dependable force as long as I paid them more than anyone else could. This way, it's like I'm a parent. I've taken them in, given them a life. I may pay them eventually, but more than that, I provide care for them, and that is how I buy _that_ loyalty."

Heero felt a firm stillness go through Relena's body as they still looked at one another. Her features shifted to show a steady determination for just an instant before they faded into softness. Heero felt her falling into her place in the plan, and decided to follow her lead as she slowly moved her hands up his arms to join behind his neck.

"You called them help—a force."

"Uh- huh."

"Well—you said I have a force. I assume you're referring to my employees?"

"Not all of them. That number is unfathomable."

Eyes widening in surprise, Heero put his arms around the small of her back. Her eyes continued to bore into his, above a small smile. He was taken aback at her boldness, even though he had made a few such moves that evening. Still confused at the sudden warmth from the woman in front of him, he didn't break eye contact with her, and concentrated on putting an expression on his own face that would indicate an appropriate response to Relena's increased proximity.

"To whom are you referring, then?"

"You know, the ones in positions you don't advertise for. The man who follows you with a gun, just in case; the gorgeous secretary who takes care of _everything_ you might want or need; the people who sneak around for you, who go where you can't so that you can still know everything that goes on beyond your vision. People who run things in your name. It's so hard to be two people these days, Winner. Authorities just know where to find all the answers nowadays."

"You make very presumptuous assumptions about the sort of 'help,' I surround myself with, Mr. Asquith."

"And you ask too many questions, boy." Asquith was sounding more himself by the minute.

"It's natural for me to ask questions concerning this matter, don't you think, Mr. Asquith? If your plan goes unfoiled, you may very well be a great source of competition once the children are grown. I'd like to be prepared for that."

Relena could see a few men over Heero's shoulder that had taken a seat at the bar. They were next to each other, but were silently hunched over their drinks. It could have been paranoia that came with her knowledge of subtle reconnaissance operation that was going on behind her, but she sensed something suspicious—about as suspicious as her all but sitting in Heero's lap— in the men. As she intently inspected their backs—to her horror—a large party of men and women approached the bar and began to take seats at the smaller tables as their orders were taken. The foreign minister's daughter was among them.

Cold, rough fingers gently grasped her chin, drawing both her face and her attention from the interlopers; they were Heero's fingers, and now she was looking straight into his face. He shook his head slightly from side to side, and she understood. _No one else matters— just stay focused_. She lowered her eyes—in a way that may have looked bashful to anyone who happened to glance in her direction.

"Unfoiled? Just what do you mean by that, Winner?"

"Nothing—I was only referring to the possibility that your entire grand operation could progress smoothly—"

"And why wouldn't it?" His voice was raised.

A clattering of glass and the squeal of the hasty movement of a chair or table—Relena would never be sure as she didn't see it herself—sounded, causing the smallest of starts out of Relena's body. But she never had the opportunity to turn her attention to the commotion and raised voices—nor did it occur to her to try after Heero disturbed the intense stillness their gazes had shared.

All in all, his lips only met hers for an instant before she reacted; her sense of propriety called to mind all the people surrounding her—people she knew—who would see what was happening.

She pulled back and stood up from her chair in the same motion, and Heero let her. She took in his widened eyes as she swung her open palm down towards his face, all the tension of the night and the surprise of the moment packed into its force. His head did swing to the side at the impact, but when he turned back to Relena his eyes were still wide—confused, almost—his fingers at his cheek the only indication that he had felt her hit him.

It was half her smarting hand and half surprise at herself that sent her palm over her mouth. It wasn't even warm or moist from what Heero had done just seconds earlier. Her eyes darted around her, taking in the attention from the surrounding guests. She turned her head quickly, finding even Asquith looking at her, though his body appeared ready to lunge across the table at Quatre—who was gone.

As fast as her heels would allow her, she left the relative quiet of the lounge area, heading in the direction of the garden. She breathed deeply to calm herself as she passed tired and slightly intoxicated acquaintances—ones who didn't know of her recent embarrassment. She didn't even bother to look behind her to see if she was followed. _Quatre made a break for it_, she thought. _The job has to be done now._

The gardens seemed much colder then they had when she'd come out with Heero on her arm only an hour or so before. To her relief, though, it was empty. She took a seat on a stone bench built into a hedge to the side of the small set of stairs that led to the ballroom.

Her posture was straight, her hands were in her lap, and she kept very still. It was only an effort to affect the same composure on her mind, which was jumping from one outrage to another shock, then back again.

Her embarrassment cooling with distance, she tried to focus on the revelation of Asquith's crime. It wasn't the first instance of human trafficking she'd heard of, especially concerning war orphans; the Preventers must have taken an interest because of his intentions. _I can ask Heero about those details later._

The thought entered her mind automatically, and she clenched her teeth, momentarily recalling the intensity in his eyes when they were close together at the table, and the warmth she felt against her face from his breathing. Most of the evening had felt like a mockery of the girlish fantasies she occasionally entertained—which she was willing to endure with good humor—but Heero's attempt to kiss her had been too much. Undercover mission or not, surely he should have had a sense of what boundaries he should not cross.

She closed her eyes. _The mission._ Heero had been trying to keep her in one spot, and she had left it—hopefully not too soon.

* * *

Heero had never felt the urge to slap his forehead with his palm until he watched Relena storm away from him, the tingling of her slap still dancing across his cheek. It was not with feigned embarrassment that he stood and left the lounge area, even though the guests had already lost interest in the sudden spectacle. He turned his head once to check Asquith's table; Quatre's sisters were making an effort to restore his good humor, but his face was red and his shoulders looked tense.

He did not cross the ballroom to go out to the gardens; instead he exited through the side of the hall into the wide, ornate hallway that led to the estate's front door. Quatre emerged from a room Heero was nearly certain was a bathroom, but neither of them changed their stride to walk side by side, nor did they speak. Quatre stopped in front of the girl manning the coat closet first, and handed her his ticket. Heero stopped beside him and looked at him as the girl disappeared into the darkness.

"That went well."

Heero nodded, not noticing Quatre's sarcasm. "I agree. Those statements will very easily tie him to the evidence that has already been collected."

"Yes, yes, it's all very exciting, but I was referring to your part, not mine."

"I was—"

"Were you instructed to do that, or were you improvising?"

Heero looked away.

"How's Miss Relena?"

"She went outside."

"Heero, I like you very much, but I'm afraid you're doing a poor job of being a gentleman. It's not just what you're supposed to be _tonight_—for _this_. Relena deserves to be treated better, whether it's an act or not."

"Are your sisters leaving soon?"

Now Quatre looked away, grimacing. "They're leaving in pairs over the next half-hour. I'm going to wait out front until they've all gone."

"I think you should leave now, Quatre. You don't want to meet Asquith again tonight."

"I don't, but I do want to make sure my sisters make it out safely." He paused, returning his gaze to Heero. "After all, I am the one who made them a part of this."

The girl returned with Quatre's coat, accepted his tip, and smiled at Heero as Quatre strode out the door, nodding to the butler.

"May I have your ticket, sir?"

"Uh, no. I forgot something." He turned to go back through the hallway to enter the hall, passing a few pairs and groups on their way out. Two of Quatre's sisters were clutching each other and giggling, but he did not acknowledge them. Without making a show of it he scanned the lounge and the ballroom for Asquith as he passed through, but didn't find him among the dwindling guests.

He walked on.

* * *

It seemed to Relena that the roses on the bushes around her shivered slightly in the late hour and the breeze that went untempered through the gardens. If what Heero had said about the gardens being heated from underground—and, knowing him, it was—the house staff had probably turned it off.

Truthfully, she was embarrassed about being kissed in front of so many people—acquaintances, colleagues, people who knew her parents. Only, she wasn't embarrassed enough to be angry. Her palm and fingers were still red, and not from the chill; it never occurred to her that slapping someone might hurt her also.

In the course of Relena's interest and infatuation with Heero, she had naturally imagined kissing him. The fact that Heero was in attendance and consorting with her in a nonprofessional setting _for_ work put a bit of a damper on the event, however.

Work.

Her chin fell to her chest and she shut her eyes. Shifting her body underneath her dress, she could still feel the wire stuck to her back.

It was tentative and nearly lost in the open air, but she knew without looking that it was Heero who said her name.

When she did look up she saw him standing with one foot on the last stair that led to the garden, on foot on the ground, and one hand clutching the railing. She thought he looked tense. If it weren't Heero she was looking at, she might have said the man before her looked scared.

"Is something wrong?"

He put his hands in his pockets and walked toward her. "I wanted to see that you were all right."

She looked away. "I'm fine."

It startled her when she felt something brush against her bare arm.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

Heero had sat next to her on the small space of the bench. Relena wasn't sure just how much room was left on his side, but she was sitting on the edge.

"Are you cold?"

She shook her head, even though she had no idea whether he was looking at her.

"Did I ruin things?"

"Hn?"

"By just—walking out on the whole thing."

"I shouldn't think so. You should have picked up some strong statements that will support the evidence already collected against Asquith."

Relena didn't reply.

"I just told Quatre so. He's on his way out."

Nothing.

"And that was the goal, so…."

"Well—that's satisfying to hear."

A tense pause lasted a moment, during which Relena stilled her shoulders against a shiver.

"I'm sorry I upset you."

"Hm?"

"I apologize for kissing you—back inside."

"Oh." Relena rolled her shoulders. "Well, why did you do it?"

"We were supposed to blend in; be ordinary. I've seen men and women behave that way at parties before."

Relena nodded, her assumptions affirmed.

"And—" he shifted on the small space of the bench, but there was nowhere else to go. "I was told that—that—"

Relena looked at him, so close, ruffled in such an un-Heeroish way.

"—it would be—that you wouldn't object."

"What?"

"I—"

"What is that even supposed to mean?" She uncrossed her arms and grasped her knees. "And just _who_ told you I wouldn't _object_?"

Heero kept quiet.

"Fine, then." She crossed her arms again against a breeze. "Then I suppose I'm sorry for acting unordinary and slapping you."

Heero nodded, and allowed a few moments to pass before speaking again. "Despite everything, Relena, I felt like it was the right thing to do."

Relena neither moved nor made a sound, unsure of how she was supposed to interpret the information.

He continued: "Did it not feel that way to you?"

She thought of a number of lengthy explanations she might offer as a response, some of them true, some of them lies. In the time it took her to sigh she decided that—like the kiss—it was neither the time nor the place for it.

"Context, Heero." However he would decide to interpret it, it was the truth.

He nodded.

"I really am sorry about hitting you, though." She looked at him. "It was inappropriate."

"You don't have to apologize." He stood from the bench and began to remove his jacket. "It's not like it hurt."

Relena's mouth fell open into a smile.

"Oh, so that's how it is? Well, I'm not taking your bait, Yuy—I'm a master of composure—"

He raised his eyebrows.

"Ususally, anyway. What are you taking that off for? I told you I wasn't cold."

He stood over her and swung the jacket behind her, fixing it on her shoulders. "Humor me."

She did, drawing the jacket closed over her front, feeling the residual warmth within. With a sideways glance she watched as he sat next to her again and absently fingered his cufflinks.

"We haven't discussed"—she lowered her voice—"how I'll be returning what I've been lent."

Heero placed his hand over the area where the wire adhered to her skin and raised his eyebrows. When he spoke, it was with low tones.

"I'd like to take it now, but we need to use more discretion this time."

"You need it tonight?"

"Tonight."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'd planned to get to your house after you, but before sunrise." He looked across her, in the direction of the hall. "But I'm thinking now that the longer I wait, the less safe you and the information are."

"Why is that? Did something happen in there after I left?"

"No. I just have a feeling. And it would be inconsiderate to put you at more risk than necessary."

Relena smiled. "Inconsiderate at the least."

It was then that Relena realized he still hadn't moved his hand from her back. Watching him stare somewhat absently into the distance, she wondered if he was even aware of it. Overly conscious of it, she felt the urge to move.

"Walk me to the door, then?"

He nodded, and they both stood.

In their first steps Relena made to shrug out of Heero's jacket.

"You should keep that on."

"But you need it back."

He shrugged his shoulders, causing his black suspenders to expand and contract over his chest and shoulders with the movement.

"I'm not cold."

They stopped walking.

"A gentleman is supposed to keep his jacket on all evening."

"A gentleman?"

With a nod and a small smile, she held his jacket out to him.

* * *

Though it looked like the house staff had not yet asked any of the guests to leave, the ballroom and lounge scenes were clearly dead. Heero and Relena did not encounter anyone on their way through, nor did they find much activity in the long, ornate hall that led to the house's exit. But before they even reached the coat check, they could hear the noise of an argument outside.

"What—"

"Come on." Heero took her hand and pulled her along at a very brisk walk, which was almost like running to Relena, still in her heels.

Only a few feet outside the door they came upon a bunched-up circle of party guests, looking and listening as if a schoolyard fist-fight was about to occur. Being so close, they both realized that the situation was probably just that, hearing Asquith's raised voice.

"Don't think I'm ignorant of your affiliations! Were you sent here?"

There was silence not only from the circle of people, but also within it. Heero suppressed a grimace at the sound that followed—the unmistakable one of flesh colliding with flesh.

He moved Relena in front of him—grasping her by the shoulders, keeping her close—and guided her through the bodies of the circle. They stopped somewhere in the middle, just close enough to catch glimpses over people's shoulders, but not so close to the front that they distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd.

At the sight he took in, the thought that it may have been better to not give a Relena a better view crossed his mind; but looking down, he was relieved to see her staring on.

Quatre, in his coat and tuxedo underneath, was held by the arms between two bulky men, his face a mess. Heero's lips parted as he wondered how long they had been working on him.

"I will have answers!"

"I've given you answers!" Despite a swollen lip and blood seeping from his nose and mouth, Quatre was very clear-spoken.

Relena twisted around in her pocket of space so and lifted her head; Heero lowered his ear to her mouth.

"Shouldn't we do something?"

Heero flinched, thrown off for just a second by the tingle on his outer ear that came from a slight brush of Relena's cold nose. He blinked.

Shaking his head slowly at her, he almost missed her shoulders as she tried to dart away from him, to the center of the circle.

"What are you doing?"

"We can't just leave him!"

"Everyone else is, and so will we."

Her eyes widened in fury and disbelief.

"He was prepared for this—it was always a possibility."

"It's not right!"

"We have no choice."

"Let me say something. What's Asquith going to do—?"

"You're not going anywhere _near_ him!"

Heero looked to his sides, realizing their whispered bickering had not gone completely unnoticed by their neighbors. The sound of more force meeting Quatre's face made Relena put a hand over her forehead.

"Come on."

He pulled her behind him by the hand, but he had only taken a few steps before he felt her slip away.

Turning around, he saw her turning her shoulders to squeeze between two people, obviously bound for Quatre. He had to take a few quick steps toward her that displaced some of the nearby party guests, but he managed to wrap his arms around her waist and heave her backwards. She didn't make a sound, though she struggled against him at first, and halfheartedly hit his shoulder once he let her go.

"Call someone, then."

"I will." He took his cell out. "And let's get you to your car."

They walked to the valet, where Heero murmured facts and locations to an agent he didn't know while they waited for Relena's town car and driver and Heero's keys and car.

"They'll send some local police, but other than that, they can't get involved."

Relena shook her head.

"It would give him away if some Preventers rushed in to save him, Relena."

"That's not even it; there are security guards here already. And still…."

"They're hired to protect us from outsiders, not from each other."

Relena only nodded, obviously perturbed.

"Listen," he let his voice drop, since he was standing close enough. "That's why this was planned the way it was. Imagine what it could come to if he were wired. Or if it was you who had to get to Asquith tonight."

"It still doesn't feel right."

"This was always a possibility."

Relena's town car came into view. Heero turned to speak to Relena, noticing her bare shoulders.

"You forgot your coat."

"It doesn't matter now—I should leave."

Heero nodded.

"Do you need my jacket?"

"No, my car's already here. Thanks."

The driver pulled up the drive to park beside them, then came around to open the door for Relena.

"Is he the same one that drove you here?"

"Yes." She gave a smile and a reassuring nod to the driver, who looked alarmed at Heero's question.

"No stops—"

"I know."

"Straight home—"

"I _know_."

"Will you call me if anything is suspicious?"

"With what?"

"Anything—the driver, your house—"

"That's not what I mean; my cell's in my clutch."

Heero stared. "Clutch?"

"The little purse I was carrying. It's with my coat."

"You should have kept your phone on you, at least."

"Where am I supposed to put it, Heero?" She held out her arms, noting how Heero's eyes darted up and down, presumably taking in just how few places there were to put a cell phone on her person. "I'm in a dress."

"Expect me later on."

She nodded and slid into her waiting car.

Heero watched the door shut behind Relena before the town car eased out of the driveway. A valet—close to Heero's own age—pulled up in Heero's car not long after, leaving the door open as he handed him the keys.

* * *

"Would you like the heat on, Miss Darlian?"

"Yes, please." She was perched on the seat, careful to keep as much of herself as possible from coming into contact with the cold leather seats.

In the quiet of the backseat her mind wandered backwards— past Quatre's bloodied face, past Heero's jacket around her, past her hand against his face, past the second he pressed his lips against hers—to the moments where she began to comprehend Asquith's crime.

War orphans were a humanitarian concern no one part of the ESUN government had managed to cover efficiently, despite generous grants and other aid. Besides the compassion adults in power felt that drove their efforts to assist the waifs and strays, there was also the issue of the trouble caused by the orphans themselves. Undersupervised, the committed petty and sometimes surprisingly violent crimes that grew worse as they aged.

Relena knew these things only because she had staff members to help keep her abreast of events in the Colonies and on Earth, but she had thus far had had no part in any of the political actions regarding them. When charges were eventually brought against Asquith, he would probably use all his resources to discover how the evidence against him was obtained. Considering things from his point to view, Relena could see how she really had been the perfect person to wear the wire: besides the fact that she was attending the party already and had had no contact with Asquith all evening, she had no interest or involvement in the war orphan issue. Her attendance would be seen by anyone who cared to look as innocuous.

She mused on this point until the driver opened the door and she automatically stepped out. Her building's doorman was already standing aside, waiting for her. Before she crossed the threshold, she could feel the difference in the chilled city air that she had not felt in the breezes on her bare shoulders at the party, further into the country.

She thanked the driver, not feeling guilty that she wouldn't be giving a tip; her agency would bill her later, anyway.

"No coat, Miss Relena?"

"I forgot it." She gave the night doorman a small smile. He saw her at the end of events and nights more than anyone else she knew.

Her condo was blissfully warm, though the fabric of her dress—pretty but unforgiving—was slow to catch up. She took it off quickly, anyway.

In shorts and nothing else, she craned her neck around to look at her bare back in the mirror. She could see the wire stuck to her skin in a straight line down her back, not long at all. Remembering that Heero had reattached it to her himself, she wondered if she would be able to peel it off herself, given the awkward angle she was in. She only entertained the only alternative—having Heero lift up the back of her shirt and remove it with his bare hands—for a moment before attacking the thing herself, mortified. It was pretty quickly clear that she would have no luck without some help.

A knock on the door signaled that help had arrived, though over an hour after Relena had abandoned her own efforts. She started from where she dozed on a couch in her darkened living room. She was unconcerned about her appearance, having already taken in her loosening curls and the clash between the heavy knit sweater she'd thrown on and her tank top and shorts.

Heero's head was comically large through the peephole, and she found when she opened the door that he was standing very close.

She opened the door wide and stood aside. "Come in." She hadn't expected her voice to sound so sleep-ridden.

"Did I wake you?"

"I only dozed off."

He walked past her, turning his body so that he faced her the entire time. She closed the door and turned back to him, finding that he had moved so that she could still only see the front of him.

"What are you doing?"

He swung his arms out from behind his back so suddenly that Relena jumped.

"My things!"

He held her cream coat in one hand and her matching clutch in the other.

"You went back for them?" She took the clutch from him, opening it to see that her few things were still inside. "How did you get a hold of them?"

"I found another way inside, and the girl at the coat check had gone outside anyway—to watch things."

"Quatre? What was happening?" She took her coat from him while she listened to him speak.

"The police came pretty quickly, and by the time I left a paramedic was cleaning his face up."

Relena grimaced.

"He'll be fine. If anything, being brutalized by Asquith and his men will work to Quatre's advantage."

Nodding, Relena led the way into her living room.

Heero had been to Relena's condo once before, though it had been in a more professional context, and Duo had been there to provide a comfortable buffer in conversation. Remembering the way Duo had helped himself to a seat on one of Relena's immaculate couches, Heero decided that he would stay standing unless she offered him a seat.

"So, I tried to pry the wire off my back when I got here, but you did an excellent job securing it." She forced a small laugh.

Heero only stared, a discomfort forming in the pit of his stomach.

"Do you know anything I can try to help remove it?"

"Ah…"

"Should I run water over it?"

Heero's thoughts faltered. "No—no, it can't be immersed in water."

"Well, let me go give it another go before I give up." She disappeared into what Heero presumed was her bedroom.

Though he felt generally tense, Heero's muscles began to tense in the warmth and dim lighting of Relena's space. Reasoning that leading him into her living room then leaving him alone in it was invitation enough, he carefully bent into a corner of her couch. His eyes fell on the hearth against a wall, even though it was dark and empty.

No sound made it to Heero from the other room, though he assumed she was struggling. He had—perhaps inconsiderately—not sparsely applied adhesive to her skin. A specific end was in mind when he did this, and he had not given much thought to what it might mean for her later. He knew very well she wouldn't be able to remove the wire herself, and felt himself grow surlier than he meant himself to be thinking of the compromising position he had effectively put them in.

She came out—as expected—looking frustrated and red in the cheeks.

"I can't—"

"Come here." He stood.

She turned her back to him when they were close, and he felt for it through her clothes, tugging at it hopefully—but without success.

"Heero, I'm tired." She hadn't turned around when she spoke. "Let's just both be adults about this." She lifted the back of her sweater and shirt with one hand enough so that the skin above the waist of her shorts was exposed. "I give you permission. Just get it off of me."

Heero looked down at the light strip of skin at the small of Relena's back and tried to ignore the trepidation he felt in his chest.

"Do you want to hold onto something?"

"No, why?"

"Just asking." He took the hem of her sweater from her hand and lifted it slightly before sliding the other hand up underneath her shirt. He tried not to flinch when he felt how warm her skin was against his hand while he felt for the end of the wire.

"Your hands are cold."

"Sorry."

Thinking it better to get it over with without panicking her, he peeled it off quickly once it found the top end of the wire. Besides her gasp, she surprised him by stumbling backward at the force of the pull.

"Ow!"

"I'm sorry." He helped right her by the shoulders.

"I assumed it would sting, but why didn't you say anything?" She had turned around and was squinting her eyes and rubbing at her back.

"I thought it would be less painful to do it quickly."

"Like a band-aid."

He cocked his head.

"Duct tape?"

He nodded.

"May I?" She reached out for the wire that Heero held in one hand.

"Go ahead."

They both looked at the device she held between them.

"Is that my skin hanging off of it?"

Heero snatched it back and pulled a plastic bag to seal it in from inside his jacket. "Uh, no, it's probably just glue." He purposefully avoided looking at her, especially since she didn't reply.

"So who's going to go through that?"

"It's my responsibility to make an edit of the necessary information in the recording—I'll likely store it separately from everything else recorded on the device. But I might have to ask an expert to help me dig through the audio to amplify Asquith and Quatre's voices, given all the extra noise."

"I see."

"Is there anything you specifically want edited out?"

She shook her head.

"I'll be going, then."

He led the way to the door, opening it for himself, and turned around once he was just past the threshold.

Quietly: "Thank you for all your help this evening."

"Thank you for the evening."

He nodded at her and turned to leave. Before he had completed a whole step, though, he turned back to where Relena was still standing in her doorway.

Taking her free hand in his, he looked down at her. "Thank you for the evening."

In the silence of Relena's doorway, Heero bent down to press his lips to the top of her hand, while only Relena watched.

_ Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading. I owe you a special gratitude to you if you had to wait any amount of time for the third chapter to come out; thank you for coming back to this. Three years is a very long time. If this is not the case for you, reader, I thank you anyway for reading my story. Even though there was a huge chunk of time between the second chapter and the third, everything I intended to happen did happen—and more, to my surprise. I hope it all played out to your satisfaction. Let me know—I'd love more than anything to hear your thoughts. (4/26/10, 11:23pm)_


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